September 21, 2007 - Who said that rockers can’t rap? They surely have not listened to Linkin Park lately, though true LP fans already know that Mike Shinoda can rap just as well as Jay-Z or Eminem. But he prefers the heavy nu-metal style of it all and we are glad of that. Those of us who eagerly anticipated “Collision Course” and were disappointed by it will be glad that this album is the phoenix rising from the ashes. This album isn’t what you would think to be a Linkin Park album, it strays from the nu-metal genre to this mellow sorrowful tunes. It’s different. Especially if you are a radio-listener who is used to “One Step Closer” and “Crawling,“ where this differs from a lot. This is more on the lines of “In the End,” than anything else. Chester Bennington surprises us with actual singing versus growling and screaming, he has a wonderful voice I must say. As well as Mike Shinoda with singing as the album only has two rap songs.

The first song an instrumental “Awake,” this song is like the birth of the album. The last song “The Little Things You Give Away” is like the sorrowful death of the CD, the middle is the vibrant angry life. The hidden gem of this album has to be “Given Up” is a song that everybody can relate to in this modern time. “Hands Held High” is very politically charged; to me it sounds like a good mix of Eminem and Green Day. It is an aggressive song that covers the topics of the war, the President and gas prices. (Plus a great marching beat in the background.) “What I’ve Done” is the perfect hit single of this album, just the things that you do think of when the minutes tick closer to midnight and you haven’t any sleep as of yet. The album has quite a few guitar solos with a few quirky little sound effects to go with the ensemble.

This album is quite different from “Hybrid Theory” and “Meteora” not in a bad way like “Collision Course” definitely. Most of the time a group that has been around as long as Linkin Park try something new that doesn’t turn out so well. This album is not that album! It is good enough to listen to any time of day not just minutes to midnight . If you are new to Linkin Park , any of their older albums “Reanimation” or “Live In Texas” is definitely good to listen to.

“Minutes To Midnight” is available at all the usual outlets on Warner Bros. Records.

“Minutes To Midnight ” Track Listing:

1. Wake
2. Given Up
3. Leave Out All The Rest
4. Bleed It Out
5. Shadow Of The Day
6. What I've Done
7. Hands Held High
8. No More Sorrow
9. Valentine's Day
10. In Between
11. In Pieces
12. The Little Things Give You Away

Linkin Park is from Los Angeles , CA and tour on a regular basis.

Linkin Park Is:
Chester Bennington
Mike Shinoda
Brad Delson
Dave " Phoenix " Farrell
Joe Hahn
Rob Bourdon

For more artist information log onto the official Linkin Park Website.

To sample music visit the Linkin Park page at Myspace.com.


CD Review by Megan Ash - Copyright © 2007 Florida Entertainment Scene - All Rights Reserved.